BLUEBERRY & COCONUT BIRCHER MUESLI

I’ve been eating this blueberry coconut bircher muesli off and on for the last couple months, so figured it was time to share with you all. I know that the internet is crawling with overnight oats content, but if this recipe can inspire one person to try a new healthy breakfast, then I’m happy. Mission accomplished!

Little changes become massive life shifts if applied over time. That’s how a plant-based diet has impacted me personally. I’m giving a talk about the how’s and the why’s of going vegan at an event this weekend, starting with what’s on your plate. When I started writing out what I wanted to say and pass on to people as a takeaway message, so many things came up.

People talk about climate change as a result of meat and dairy consumption a lot. The grocery store landscape becomes increasingly more varied with options for all kinds of eaters with every visit. There are new articles that espouse the benefits of a fully plant-based diet every single day. Influencers say and promote some borderline crazy sh*t health and lifestyle-wise in the news feeds of millions of people constantly. It can all be so confusing and overwhelming.

Starting with your true intention is the best angle for success and personal fulfillment. Maybe you want to eat a bit healthier, or maybe you’ve felt a stronger sense of compassion for animals lately, or you just really care about the environment and this is a tangible everyday change that makes sense to you. Start there and go back to that intention whenever you need to. Let it be your guide!

Then, try committing to one plant-based meal a day. I find that breakfast is the easiest when you’re starting because things like oatmeal, cereal, toast, smoothies etc. are foolproof in terms of being either naturally vegan or easily vegan-ized. This way you’re only shifting about a third of your existing grocery shopping routine. Begin slowly. Turning on a dime and changing your lifestyle 100% can be difficult. It works for a lot of people, but for others: it sets them up for discouragement at the first sign of a setback because they feel like they failed their mission in one fell swoop.

From here, we keep growing and stacking our habits. We let the habits build into a lifestyle and a set of personal commitments that don’t feel like work. They feel natural because they’ve become a part of us over time. It’s important that all of these habits and life movements feel good. If you sense that you aren’t aiming true or something is off, re-assess that habit or part of your plant-based life.

I love small changes. I live by them, always trying to be better for myself and for my relationships. I eat 100% plant-based now and maintain a vegan lifestyle to the best of my ability outside of what’s on my plate–I do slip up sometimes and am transparent about that. Last weekend at a baseball game, I accidentally drank wine that did not use 100% vegan filtration processes. It happens and I am always learning. For the most part, my small changes have added up to a fulfilling lifestyle shift.

Remember this: no one is free from causing some type of harm 100% of the time, no matter how well-intentioned (or how vocal they are on Twitter). Millions of people making small steps and enjoying their little vegan breakfast is much more impactful than 100 completely perfect vegans. My goal with this work is to inspire the largest amount of people to eat plant-based; not to 100% convert a smaller and more dedicated group.

All of this is to say: go eat your blueberry coconut bircher muesli and keep changing your world/the world at large with small habits and choices if that feels right to you. Then keep going! :)

BLUEBERRY AND COCONUT BIRCHER MUESLI

Print the recipe here!SERVES: 1NOTES: I actually prefer frozen blueberries here (always in season) because they seep out their pretty blue juices overnight to colour the muesli.-I’ve made this with all seeds/coconut and zero oats, and it’s just as good. Just make sure that you bump up your chia seed amount to 1 full tablespoon.-My favourite vegan yogurts (in order of preference): Anita’s, Coyo, and Lavva (only the vanilla flavour).-Bircher muesli/overnight oat mixtures do better when they’re sweetened right before serving. I find the sweetness dissipates after the overnight thickening period, so just add in the morning.

In a sealable jar or bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, coconut, flax seeds, chia seeds, and salt. Stir them together to combine. Then, add the yogurt, blueberries, and non-dairy milk. Stir the bircher muesli thoroughly to combine.

Top the bircher muesli with a lid and leave it in the refrigerator to thicken overnight.

In the morning, give the blueberry coconut bircher muesli a stir. Add a splash of non-dairy milk if it’s thickened up too much. Stir in a splash of maple syrup if you like a touch of sweetness. Serve the blueberry coconut bircher muesli with fresh berries and more shredded coconut if you like.

Such a lovely recipe and post! And, so beautifully said! Thank you!ReplyCancel

Jean01/05/2019 - 8:33 am

Since I won’t be able to hear you speak on Saturday I’m so glad you shared your thoughts here…encouraging, inspirational and enlightening, as always. Plus the overnight bircher- muesli is a nice change from my old standby overnight oats recipe. Best of luck to you at the conference!ReplyCancel

I LOVE your attitude about this. There are definitely some very vocal people on social media who espouse this idea that unless you’re a perfect, 100% vegan, you’re not making an impact. But I definitely agree that millions of people taking small steps to become more plant-based is what really makes a difference. Every little bit counts :)ReplyCancel

Tracey01/05/2019 - 9:47 am

These are sound words Laura. I am going to make the muesli for my first breakfast tomorrow.ReplyCancel

Thanks for your inspiring words! This looks like the perfect no-fuss Spring/Summer breakfast or snack. I agree that vanilla Lavva is so good – perfect sweetness and tang! Definitely better than their other flavors ;)ReplyCancel

Thank you for this lovely post! I especially very much liked how you speak about intention. “Let it be your guide!”
I agree, and I would also add, if I may, that, as I’ve observed it, the more we pay attention to working on ourselves at this level, cultivating and growing good and helpful intentions of kindness and compassion, the more good we will naturally do in every way.
We can all help to make a little change in the world by changing what we buy and what we eat, but in my opinion we can make an even more powerful gift to the world by changing ourselves from inside; each day trying to exchange a bit of selfishness for generosity, a bit of laziness for some effort, a bit of impatience for patience, a bit of anger for some compassion. All good actions start from good thoughts and intentions. Thank you for continuing to share your kind intentions! And I will be trying this recipe, it looks delicious :)ReplyCancel

Marsh04/05/2019 - 11:19 am

I loved what Laura wrote and I love your response just as much, especially your last paragraph. Words to live by, from both of you. Nice way to start my day– thanks!ReplyCancel

NB01/05/2019 - 9:03 pm

Love your blog! And this recipe is next on my list. Can you please let me know the details on those glass jars with the wooden lids? Just what I was looking for! ThanksReplyCancel

Yep! You could make up to 3 servings ahead of time I think. Otherwise, the chia seems to absorb too much of the liquid and makes the mixture quite thick. But if you don’t mind that, go ahead and make more!
-LReplyCancel

Aleisha02/05/2019 - 10:42 pm

This sounds so delicious! Can those brands of coconut yogurt be found in Ontario? If not, what brands of coconut yogurt do you recommend that are? If yes, where can I find them?

Is it bad that I had to google what “Bircher museli” was ‍♀️. Whelp! Now I know. Made this and it was delicious! Thank you!ReplyCancel

Sherry11/05/2019 - 9:39 am

Laura, where do you find these yogurt brands? I hadn’t realized they were available in Canada! I haven’t yet seen any of them around Toronto. (The unusual Lavva ingredients look interesting — it would be cool to give it a try.)

Hello Laura, I tried your recipe and it’s very, very good. Added a tsp of organic peanut butter on top.
I translated your recipe to Portuguese and put in my blog with the link to your recipe. Hope it’s ok with you :)ReplyCancel

I made a muesli with ground flaxseed, coconut, cinnamon, and rolled oats, then soaked them in almond milk, turmeric, a little black pepper, and Stevia. MY LORD WAS I HOOKED. Next time I need to add more seeds for variety, crunch, nutrition, and extra aesthetics–pumpkin and sunflower seeds are phenomenal–and your take on it is so inspiring! What kind of yogurt did you use–was the base coconut?ReplyCancel